Is it me, or is LinkedIn sometimes a bit...meh?
I have now been in business for something like 25 years. Seen it, done it, lost it, failed at it, succeeded at it, regretted it, but always loved it.
LinkedIn is probably the least useful of all social media for me because I have very little to do with the recruiting side of my business and I am not, currently, seeking to change my employer or career. However, I have some useful contacts and some good friends, as well as some colleagues and clients that fall into both categories. I enjoy seeing their progress and reading their posts and, occasionally, I give and receive endorsements where I have had genuinely good service.
I am more than willing to connect with people previously unknown to me, perhaps they feel that they need my company's services or feel our connection will ultimately be to our mutual benefit. I may take an interest in them, explore their expertise or visit their website. I may (and have) eventually contact them to enquire about their service and see if we may do some business together.
However, am I the only person that is left seething when a complete stranger suddenly requests to 'Link' and then follows up with an unsolicited e-mail flogging some service or other, for which I have no use? This sort of 'networking' has all the appeal of being seated at a wedding with some greasy-haired double-glazing salesman with halitosis who sees you as his next big pay day (true story).
I'm not against the 'hard sell', we're all in the sales business ultimately, but the simple acceptance of a request to exchange 'virtual business cards' doesn't mean that I want to receive an immediate sales pitch for something that I may have no use for whatsoever.
But, as I say, it's probably just me.
Retired Sr. Director from Schneider Electric (Global Process Automation Projects)
9 年You are far from alone, Terry. It is a negative aspect of the site. Lazy people that perform little or no due diligence about their targets. I find it pathetic and disappointing. Too any who are think they can email blast their way to riches...
If you are in the same line of business i see no problem as this is positive networking although I do not like ridicolous money making scheme sales people contacting me.
Scaffolding Professional (USED HAKI / LAYHER Sales)
9 年In LinkedIn's sole drive to continue to add new Members at all costs the platform has simply lost its way and focus ... What is LinkedIn ? Don't think anyone could answer that now ... sadly the business etiquette once associated with the platform has long gone. Today it's, as you say, regular unsolicited mail ( I also have 2 offers today ) and so called "Bankers" trying to connect ... no doubt with several million pounds sitting in an old Account !! In truth rather sad ......
In the top 1% of copywriters on Linkedin who live in Hertfordshire and have the surname Kira.
9 年Brilliant post, awful timing! I've just hopped onto LinkedIn for the first time in about six months, thinking; 'maybe I've been a bit harsh - maybe I'm missing something by not bothering with this platform'. Having done that, the first thing I see is your post confirming everything that previously irritated me about LinkedIn. I've had more joy (in terms of direct business and useful/meaningful connection) with Google+, Twitter, and Facebook (yup, true). I found LinkedIn to be a spammer's paradise - a disingenuous platform. It's useful for me to have my profile on here, and I'm still connected with good people (who I genuinely know), so we'll see: I'm going to give it one more go (despite your post!). If I find it as big a waste of time as before, I'll just keep my profile up and that's it. Anyway, compliments from a copywriter - you write well.